Antibalking device.



eAre A -nrerLrA snntoanuk,y or vnennvrnnn, ALBEn'rA, CANADA, Assrenoia or orte-stare 'ro FEDOR WKAJLIUK, 0F VEGREVILLE, ALBERTA, CANADA.

NTIBALKING EDEVJICE.

pecication of Letters Patent.

Patented Q1 an. 15, 191%.

Application led May 7, 1917. Serial No. 167,073.

. balking device.

It is a well known and recognized fact that of all draft animals the mule is the most stubborn and is at all times inclined to balk. Moreover, experience has taught that when a' mule is seized with the' desire to balk it is practically impossible with the existing means to cause him to move forward.

One important object of the invention is.

to provide asimple and eiicient apparatus which may be used with balky mules and which, when in use, will so distract the mules attention that it will produce a practically instantaneous cure for the attack of balking.

It is also well known that at times, when` the balking fit is not too strong, the application of a whip or'other irritating means is effective. At other times it is found that the mules attention will be distracted fromso as to more effectually distract the attention of the mule from his stubborn tit.-

With the above and other objects in view, as will be hereinafter apparent the invention consists in general of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and

specifically claimed. 1n the accompanying drawing, likecharactels of reference indicate like parts in the eef several views, and .I

. Figure l is a plan view of a. portion of a pair of vehicle shafts showing-the device applied thereto.

Fig. Slis a section through sucha pair of shafts showing the device in elevation.

` Fig. l.

Fig. 3; is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a section on the line lr-4: of

lfig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of the irritating and` tickling element used herewith. N

ln carrying out the objects of this invention there is provided on each of the shafts l0 adjacent the rear end thereof an upspring 14 so that the wheel is arranged ex- A actly as the balance wheel of a watch only on a much larger scale, the lwheel thus constituting a balance wheel. Carried on each arm l1 and partially surrounding' the respective wheel 13 is a guide channel 15 terminating in a guide funnel 16. Extending -from the grooved periphery of each of the wheels is a series of spurs 17. and passing through the guides 16 and engaged by the spurs 17 is a flexible irritating and tickling element in the form of a rope having a body 18 of horsehair wherein is laid upa multiplicity of hog bristles 19 which extend substantially radially from the body.

of this orsehair. rope may be allowed to extend-backward toward the driver of the vehicle to form an operating handle while the other end may be permanently connectedto its balance wheel. Now, it will be obvious that if the loose end of the rope be grasped and pulled the springs 14 will be brought into tension, thereby winding them up further or by partially unwinding them so that if the projecting end of the rope be loosened t0 let the-apparatus run freely the wheels 13 will oscillate which will cause reciprocation of the rope 18.

Now it is well known by all students of natural history that a mules skin has little lsensibility especially where covered with hair as on most parts of the' animal. llt is also well known that the underside of a mules tail at the part adjacent the body is without hair and lt therefore vpreferably run the rope beneath ,the mules tail as shown in Eig.. 1 where the reeiprecaton under @ne end Mld ioe-

tra

the influence of the balance wheel will so produce an irritating and tickling effect as to distract the attention of the mule and cause hin at once to move forward.

There has thus been provided a simple and efficient device of the kind described and for the purpose specified. y

It is obvious that` many minor changes may be made in the form and construction of the invention without departing from the material principles thereof.` It is not therefore desired to confine the invention to the exact form herein shown and described v but it is wished to include all such as propybalance wheels positioned in spaced relation vto lie on opposite sides of a mule, and

" a flexible irritating and tickling member having its end portion. connected to one .of said balance wheels. and arranged to engage the other -wheel and adapted to be.

brought into contact with a mulel positioned between saidwheels. n

2. The combination with a pair of vehicle shafts; of arms projecting upward'from said shafts adjacent the rear end thereof balance 'wheels Vcarried by the upper ends o said arms, guides partlysurrounding said balance wheels, spurs on the rims of said wheels, and a rope extending through said guides and engaged by said spurs, onelend of the rope projecting freely beyond its guide. i

3. In a mule starter, an irritating and tickling element consisting of a horse hair rope having hog bristles radiating therefrom. i

` In testimonyl whereof I aiixmy signature.

iLIA sEMo'riUK.

Witnesses:

-PETER SVARICH,

TIVAN BUDNYK. 

